Minis On The Edge Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Wireless RFID chips--essentially high-tech bar codes that can be scanned from a distance and even through the walls of boxes and other containers--are seen by many as the key to a far more efficient method of handling inventory transactions. RFID systems can be used just about anywhere, from clothing tags to pallets to pet tags to shipping boxes-- anywhere that a unique identification system is needed. The tag can carry information as simple as a pet owners name and address or the cleaning instruction on a sweater to as complex as instructions on how to assemble a car. Some auto manufacturers use RFID systems to move cars through an assembly line. At each successive stage of production, the RFID tag tells the computers what the next step of automated assembly is. ~This is Quoted from the RFID website~ I was reading up on this technology a few weeks ago because someone made mention that people can be tracked through this method. Question of the day is this: Would you get your child (grand child or pet ) a RFID implant just to increase the recovery rate in case your child or grand child was abducted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuttiwebgal Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 the dog yes the kid or grand kid no!! or myself. nutti :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellandmelissa Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 A BIG NEVER. Melissa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Note that those who have replied now have or have had teenagers, LOL! I dunno. It may be a good idea. I cannot imagine the horror, pain and fear that a parent and family goes through when a child is abducted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 I'm torn, my first response would be a definite NO, but when you hear about how many missing children there are you think Maybe. I know when my kids were small I did take them and have them fingerprinted thru a school program where you keep the fingerprints yourself, but would have them if needed. Oh I long for the days when we use to keep our doors open and our windows up and thoughts of people abducting your kids was the last thing on your mind. But now adays this could be a very real threat so it is definitely something to consider. Peggi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 And what would keep the abductor from removing the implant (gruesome thought)? Sorry, I think the fingerprinting is invasive enough & unique enough to serve for identification. I'm not comfortable with my grandchild having a barcode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted November 30, 2005 Author Share Posted November 30, 2005 Peggi, like you I am torn. My first response is "Heck no". My reasons are because the Government ALWAYS take things that extra step further. Your boss may be able to tell if you stayed home sick for real or not or kids cutting school (which will demolish the "trust factor") in the furture if this is allowed. It may help pinpoint where people really were when a crime took place. I don't know if I really want people being able to know where I am at all times ( Especially those telemarketers ). On the other hand, if my child was lost or abducted and they could locate them before anything really bad happens to them, it would be well worth it (Isn't that how the aliens are tracking human beings that they have contacted on earth :lol: LOL ;) ). I have heard a lot of talk about this in the past months and My questions are, is this something else that can cause cancer or other diseases? We have sound waves, radio waves and other things going through our bodies all day, every day (That's how the radio and TV gets there signal, it goes through things including us). This is one of those things that can be good and bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 Absolutely and without hessitation! I would never get a normal healthy child implanted - I believe it would be an invasion of their privacy. Parents do need to be vigillent about their children but at some age you're going to have to explain to that young adult why you have a tracking chip in them... and you never know how doctors will feel about removing such a chip - However- there are children who are handicapped and unable to give out home phone number or address if they're lost or heaven forbid abducted - for these kids who have no way to communicat their distress this has the potential be a literal life saver, it may also serve to protect children when there is a real potential for a separated spouce to abduct them and flee the country. There are pro's and cons on both sides but for my own situation I wouldn't think twice about having it done. As for the dog - only if I wanted him to come home :lol: which I do. -David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydroped Posted November 30, 2005 Share Posted November 30, 2005 And what would keep the abductor from removing the implant (gruesome thought)? Sorry, I think the fingerprinting is invasive enough & unique enough to serve for identification. I'm not comfortable with my grandchild having a barcode. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> First the abductor would have to know the chip was implanted - a stranger wouldn't know this and if I was suspicious of an ex spouce I sure wouldn't tell em - or anyone for that matter. -David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Pets? Yep, sure would. Children? Even more. I think the safety factor far outweighs any concerns of violations of privacy, especially if the chip were removed when the child turned 18. Just think..........if children could be tracked that quickly, they could go back to putting pictures of cows on milk cartons. It's an issue with a lot of grey areas and a lot of potential problems to work out, but in theory, wouldn't it be wonderful if we never lost another child to an abductor, molestor, or dark and stormy night in the woods? Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I have to say no. I refused a collage because that is how they kept track of collage info ( a chip in your hand). I have heard they are going to change passports to chips next year. Not happy about that either. I do think it would be good for criminals to have them though. ( yes my dog has one. The pound would not let him go without it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Yikes! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks the government has enough ways to track us. Every time I cross a bridge, there's an official record, thanks to my Fastrack or EZPass or whatever the heck it is on this coast. I'm not so concerned about passports, since the government always could get a record from those times when the passport was actually necessary at the border. If I had kids, honestly, I'd figure most abductions are by angry non-custodial parents... and since you'd probably have the chip implanted before the marriage went bad, the other parent would know anyway. If there was a standard implant spot, stranger abductors would just dig around there. Ick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wenlaine Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Oh My Goodness, I'm so torn on this one. All I can remember is when my daughter was just starting high school, there was a husband and wife team (Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, you may have heard the story) who were abducting young teenage girls and keeping them hostage for days and then murdering them. They weren't caught for months and all the schools in the neighborhood were stressing how important it was for our kids to always walk with lots of other kids to and from school. It was a terrible time for all of us parents and so close to home, it was unimaginable. You can bet your life if they had had this available at that time, I would have definitely had it done for the safety of my daughter. Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Oh yes -- I remember those killers! I'm going to post a link to their story, but y'all be warned: it is very disturbing reading. You may be happier skipping it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMadWoman Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I remember that story very well! There are a lot of sickos out there and if I had children I wouldn't hesitate to do whatever I could to ensure their safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellandmelissa Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I don't like RFID at all. And we use it at the store too. There are many things involved in this technology that isn't really available to the general public without a lot of digging. The potential for harm far outweighs the possible beneficial uses of the technology in my opinion. A kidnapper can detect a chip as easily as the good guys can. Amputation is a quick removal method. Not a nice thought. However, the technology isn't far enough along to TRACK someone using an implanted chip so wouldn't work well to locate a missing child. It MAY be useful in identifying the body of a victim once it was found. The range is limited to only a few feet at best. When a stray dog is picked up it can be scanned for a chip. Most items used to make such a chip would be harmful to the body it's inserted in. This is why they are COATED in a plastic sheathing so that they won't poison the animal they're put into. It has no power of it's own and power to recognize the chip and any information it contains is externally provided by pulsing it with an RF frequency. Something we're probably already getting too much of. On the plus side, it can make purchasing things easier. Imagine if you have a chip in you, and all the items in your shopping cart are chipped you don't even have to wait in line to check out. Just walk out the door with your cart, all the items are scanned and the purchases totaled up. Your chip is scanned and an electronic draft transfers the money from your bank account straight to the account of the store. And we all know that computers wouldn't make any errors in this transaction, so you could just assume that the proper amounts were charged. But think of this scenario. A murder victim is found under a bridge. Next to the victim is an empty soda can. An inspection of it's RFID and tracking it back, tells us it was purchased by ME two days earlier. Now perhaps I already drank the soda and tossed the can into my trash and someone retrieved it. OR I'm a litterbug and happened to toss it out the window of my car while driving across the bridge a few hours earlier. You can bet I'd be the one picked up for questioning and be required to account for my wheraabouts all afternoon. I'm not saying any of these things would happen. Just that with this technology the potential for these things becomes real. But if the good guys can scan the chip and use the information so can the bad guys. Just with credit cards we already have problems with id theft, and we have to keep anti virus software on our computers and firewalls to protect us from those trying to get to our private information. Why would I want yet another way for people to get to my information that I'd need to find a way to protect? Nope. I don't like RFID. Could you tell? Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 You told it a lot better than I could. Another thought I had is there are children with medical conditions requiring implanted infusion ports to facilitate frequent IV hookups (status asthmaticus & chronic sickle cell disease with frequent acute crises came immediately to mind). I'm never in favor of doing invasive things to children unless it's absolutely medically necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 I have been reading everyones posts on this subject and yes there are alot of cons and pros to this. I have 3 children there 10,7 and 3. I personally wouldnt have this done to my children seeing we dont know alot about this and it causing diseases and what if you can tell there is a implant there like a bump under there skin or something for someone to see that it there. I have taught my kids about strangers and what to do if someone trys to grab them. Also what if I had this implanted in my children and when they turned to be a teenager and got a wild hair up there butt and tried to remove it themselves. I was gonna have the device placed in my dogs but where I live the local pound doesnt have the wand thingy so they wouldnt be able to check to find out who they belong to anyways. Yes this is a very controviersial(sp?) topic. Lyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPCullen Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Yikes Darrell! That brings to mind that movie Tom Cruise was in--what was the name of it? Where they had machines to scan your eyes to identify you? And they had a machine that would predict murders before they happened? Like Calamari and many others, I think the government has too much control now. Like the metal strip in the new money so they can point a device at your house to see if you have a lot of money in there. Hmmm. Whose business is it how much money I have in my house (which is none at this point)? And I no longer use a debit card because I had someone's computer glitch and remove the money from my bank account twice and I had to fight for 6 months to get it back. The more I hear, the more I say no way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrellandmelissa Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 Well now that I've scared everyone to half to death I think I should say there ARE good uses of it too. By law ALL implanted medical devices (including the lenses in melissas new eyes) are required to have an identifying chip giving all the information on the manufacturer and date and lot number etc. This was so they would know who to go to to get any needed information if any device implanted into our body ever DOES happen to cause some problem. Internal pacemakers and other implanted medical devices, including breast enhancements now include this chip. And the devices we have that help people lead better or more normal lives are good. I think it IS important that we keep track of those devices and all the pertinent information about them. And RFID really does do a lot to streamline and therefore cut costs and improve product flow in both manufacturing, distribution, shipping, inventory control, and even re-ordering products. Some particularly risky military position personel get them installed in the unfortunate event of their capture, and/or demise at the hands of some enemy they can be properly identified in the event that normal means of ID aren't possible. RFID can be used for many beneficial things. I just think that as a society we need to make sure we keep a close eye on the technology and restrict how it's used. MOST technology can be used for either good or bad purposes. I think it's OUR job to try to do what we can to make sure it's not the latter but the former that it gets used in. Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nameless1 Posted December 2, 2005 Share Posted December 2, 2005 Linda, the movie was Minority Report and I paid a lot of attention to my drink during the part where our hero has his eyes replaced so he can fool the scanners. Ick! Darrell, I was kind of enjoying being scared silly by your scenarios. They were the imaginative, thought-provoking kind of scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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